The invention relates to a fluid compressor. More particularly, the invention relates to a fluid compressor having a compression module enclosed by a compressor housing and supported by a compressor base that includes fluid supply openings through which a portion of the total volume of uncompressed fluid is flowed to the compression module.
Fluid compressors by their design draw ambient fluid, such as air, through openings provided in the fluid compressor housing into the compressor package, and the volume of drawn ambient fluid is utilized by the compressor in several ways. A portion of the volume of air drawn into the compressor package is flowed through the compressor inlet valve into the compressor compression module, is compressed to a high pressure, and is discharged under pressure through the compressor discharge port to an object of interest such as a pneumatic tool for example. Of the volume of drawn air that is not compressed by the fluid compressor, a portion of the drawn volume is flowed past the compression module and other compressor components to cool the module and components, and if the compressor is an engine driven compressor, a portion of the drawn volume is also supplied to the engine to serve as combustion air for the engine.
The total area of the housing openings necessary to draw the required volume of ambient fluid into the package during compressor operation is dependent upon the cubic feet per minute (CFM) flow requirements of the engine, the compression module, and the cooling system. Additional housing openings must be provided in order to effectively exhaust the cooling air out of the compressor package. The total area for drawing inlet fluid into the package and exhausting cooling fluid out of the package is achieved by incorporating holes, grilles, grates, louvers and other openings in the compressor housing that are located on the housing, and designed and sized to provide the necessary inlet and exhaust fluid flow without an increase in the noise emitted by the compressor.
With the focus today on creating smaller and quieter compressors, the problems associated with providing openings of sufficient area in the enclosure of an air compressor are many. In order to provide an adequate flow of ambient air into the package without permitting an excessive amount of noise to be emitted by the package, interior baffles are often used at or near ambient air intake openings. These baffles increase the cost, weight, and complexity of the compressor. If the baffles were not required to reduce compressor sound emission, the size of the package could be reduced, or the space required to house the baffles could be used to house additional compressor components that could be used to increase the efficiency of the compressor.
Acoustical foam or other sound deadening material is often utilized for the purposes of reducing the compressor operating noise level. Any sound deadening material also contributes to the cost and complexity of the compressor package.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present devices and methods. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative compressor that includes flow openings that are large enough to provide the requisite inlet and exhaust flowrates without creating high compressor noise emission levels. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.